t-dot12
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Slow Mac, Spinning Wheel

Mac recently started going slow and getting the spinning wheel after almost every other click. How can I fix this?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Feb 10, 2014 12:27 PM

by hands4,Solvedanswer
hands4 hands4
Level 4 (2,227 points)
A:

Summary:  There are multiple illnesses for disks.  Some are failing hardware and some are intermittent errors leaving corrupted software on the disks and one is a catastrophic failure called a crash .  Maintaining current backups and then using Disk Utility to diagnose and possibility the problems are the cure.  Sometimes the disk is beyond repair and needs to be replaced. 

 

Hardware:  Disk drives can fail slowly.  On all disks, occasionally when the system tries to read a block of data, the read fails. When this happens it simply retries the read and usually it works the second time.  If it has tried and failed multiple times it does a reset which is a very slow recovery that causes the Mac to pause.  Usually that slow recovery works.  Once these problems start they tend to spread and get worse until the disk is no longer readable.  That can take time.  In the mean time it is important to have a backup in case it does fail.

 

Software:  Another failure mode is an intermittent write failure that corrupts the software on the disk.  When this happens to the disk directory (the map of where the files are on the disk) or in the operating system image it can slow things to a crawl.  This is usually repaired by repairing the “system disk” (the system volume) and, if necessary, reïnstalling OS X.  If the directory is beyond repair and the disk is still physically healthy, a “clean install” (zeroing all the data and the reïnstalling the OS and user data) can fix the problem.

 

Crash:  When the read/write heads come into physical contact with the spinning disk that is called a crash and it can quickly wipe out the data on a disk.  This does not happen often but it can happen at any time so keeping a current backup is important.

Posted on Feb 10, 2014 1:48 PM

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Q: Slow Mac, Spinning Wheel

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  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 12:39 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 12:39 PM in response to t-dot12

    Hardware Information:

              MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)

              MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2

              1 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores

              8 GB RAM

     

    Video Information:

              Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: 1024 MB

     

    System Software:

              OS X 10.9.1 (13B42) - Uptime: 0 days 2:36:29

     

    Disk Information:

              TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB)

                        EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

                        Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 749.3 GB (581.16 GB free)

                        Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB

     

              MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 

     

    USB Information:

     

     

              Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

     

              Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

     

              Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

     

              Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

                        Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

     

    FireWire Information:

     

    Thunderbolt Information:

              Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

     

    Kernel Extensions:

     

    Problem System Launch Daemons:

     

    Problem System Launch Agents:

     

    Launch Daemons:

              [System] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist 3rd-Party support link

              [System] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist 3rd-Party support link

     

    Launch Agents:

     

    User Launch Agents:

              [not loaded] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

              [not loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist 3rd-Party support link

     

    User Login Items:

              iTunesHelper

     

    Internet Plug-ins:

              Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.0.0.126   - SDK 10.8 3rd-Party support link

              FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 12.0.0.44 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link

              QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

              Flash Player: Version: 12.0.0.44 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link

              Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

              SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.1.0 3rd-Party support link

              Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link

     

    Audio Plug-ins:

              BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

              AirPlay: Version: 1.9 - SDK 10.9

              AppleAVBAudio: Version: 2.0.0 - SDK 10.9

              iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9

     

    3rd Party Preference Panes:

              Flash Player  3rd-Party support link

              Flip4Mac WMV  3rd-Party support link

     

    Bad Fonts:

              None

     

    Old Applications:

              None

     

    Time Machine:

              Time Machine not configured!

     

    Top Processes by CPU:

                   5%          WindowServer

                   3%          mds

                   2%          hidd

                   2%          Safari

                   1%          EtreCheck

     

    Top Processes by Memory:

              156 MB          mds_stores

              149 MB          com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

              131 MB          iTunes

              57 MB          Safari

              57 MB          Finder

     

    Virtual Memory Information:

              5.47 GB          Free RAM

              1.56 GB          Active RAM

              207 MB          Inactive RAM

              780 MB          Wired RAM

              307 MB          Page-ins

              0 B          Page-outs

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 1:06 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 1:06 PM in response to t-dot12

    Hello t-dot12,

     

    Thanks for starting a new thread.

     

    There are three major things that can slow down a Mac:  Too little RAM, a sick disk, and 3rd-party software conflicts.

     

    Your Etrecheck shows you have plenty of RAM (8 GB) and the 3rd-party software report is darn clean.  So this leads me to investigate the disk health.

     

    However you do not have Time Machine configured for backups and I suspect you do not have another backup method.  You need to remedy that before testing or repairing the disk.  You don’t want to lose your data.

     

    You will need a new or blank 2 TB, USB 3.0 external disk drive for the backup.  Any brand will do other than WD.  Here is an example:

    http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV2000100/dp/B00834SJ S0/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1392065713&sr=8-12&keywords=usb+3+0+external+hard+dri ve

     

    Then these instructions should help set it up to run a full backup using Time Machine.

    Time Machine Basics: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427

    Most commonly used backup methods: 

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3045

     

    Post back when you have a full backup.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 1:12 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 1:12 PM in response to hands4

    Thank you will try that when I get home from work. What exactly to you mean by a sick disk?

  • by hands4,Solvedanswer

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 1:48 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 1:48 PM in response to t-dot12

    Summary:  There are multiple illnesses for disks.  Some are failing hardware and some are intermittent errors leaving corrupted software on the disks and one is a catastrophic failure called a crash .  Maintaining current backups and then using Disk Utility to diagnose and possibility the problems are the cure.  Sometimes the disk is beyond repair and needs to be replaced. 

     

    Hardware:  Disk drives can fail slowly.  On all disks, occasionally when the system tries to read a block of data, the read fails. When this happens it simply retries the read and usually it works the second time.  If it has tried and failed multiple times it does a reset which is a very slow recovery that causes the Mac to pause.  Usually that slow recovery works.  Once these problems start they tend to spread and get worse until the disk is no longer readable.  That can take time.  In the mean time it is important to have a backup in case it does fail.

     

    Software:  Another failure mode is an intermittent write failure that corrupts the software on the disk.  When this happens to the disk directory (the map of where the files are on the disk) or in the operating system image it can slow things to a crawl.  This is usually repaired by repairing the “system disk” (the system volume) and, if necessary, reïnstalling OS X.  If the directory is beyond repair and the disk is still physically healthy, a “clean install” (zeroing all the data and the reïnstalling the OS and user data) can fix the problem.

     

    Crash:  When the read/write heads come into physical contact with the spinning disk that is called a crash and it can quickly wipe out the data on a disk.  This does not happen often but it can happen at any time so keeping a current backup is important.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 2:05 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 2:05 PM in response to hands4

    Thank you, will follow up with you when I back it up.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 9:18 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:18 PM in response to hands4

    Will 1 TB work or does it have to be 2 TB?

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 9:33 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:33 PM in response to t-dot12

    TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB)

                        EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

                        Macintosh HD (disk0s2) /: 749.3 GB (581.16 GB free)

    You have a 750 GB hard drive and are using only 180 GB of it so a 1 TB backup disk will suffice.

     

    However, the Seagate 2 TB disk I noted above costs $86 and the Seagate 1 TB disk I note below costs $81.  So for $5 more I would purchase the 2 TB disk.  It is important that it be a USB 3.0 disk so if you find less expensive ones that are USB 3.0 (and not from WD) then go for it.

     

    http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDR1000100/dp/B00H4XH5FY /ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1392096197&sr=8-4&keywords=hd+external+1tb+portable

     

    Here is a Toshiba 1 TB USB 3.0 drive listed for $71, a savings of $15.

    http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Canvio-Basics-Portable-Drive/dp/B005J7YBRW/ref=sr_ 1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1392096197&sr=8-6&keywords=hd+external+1tb+portable

     

    With some more Googling you might shave off a few more dollars.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 9:37 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:37 PM in response to hands4

    I was asking because I have an unopened 1 TB at home but I just realized it's the WD brand you said not to use. So I guess I will have to go buy a different one tomorrow.

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 9:38 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:38 PM in response to t-dot12

    If you have a WD drive in hand, then use it.  It should work OK.  It was just not my first choice of a brand.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 9:41 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:41 PM in response to hands4

    Alright will give it a try now.

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 9:42 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:42 PM in response to t-dot12

    Since it is a WD drive and they can come with software on them, let's format the drive before you plug it in to be a Time Machine backup.  Instructions to follow.

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 9:48 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:48 PM in response to t-dot12

    Use Disk Utility to partition and format an external disk drive (erasing all the data on it).

    Plug in the external disk drive.

    From the Finder pull down on the Go menu to Utilities.

    This will open the Applications > Utilities folder.

    Run Disk Utility

    > Select the new external disk drive disk (the icon to the left below “Macintosh HD").

    > Partition > Partition Layout > 1 Partition

    > Options … > GUID Partition Table > OK

    > Name > Backup1 (or whatever you prefer)

    > Format > Mac OS Extended (journaled)

    > Apply

    Then pull down on the File menu to Unmount “Backup1”

    Quit Disk Utility

    Unplug the disk.

     

    Plug in the disk.

    Does it ask to use it as a Time Machine disk?

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Feb 10, 2014 9:57 PM in response to t-dot12
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 9:57 PM in response to t-dot12

    If it did not ask for it to be a Time Machine disk then:

     

    Plug in the Backup1 drive (If it is not already plugged in).

     > System Preferences > Time Machine

    Unlock the lock if necessary.

    > ON

    > Add or Remove Backup Disk…

    > Select Backup1

     

    In the Finder, pull down on the Time Machine menu icon to Backup Now.

    Watch the progress.  It should take a while to backup your 180 GB of data.

    If it is a USB 2.0 disk it will take longer than with a USB 3.0 disk but either will get you there.

  • by t-dot12,

    t-dot12 t-dot12 Feb 10, 2014 10:14 PM in response to hands4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 10, 2014 10:14 PM in response to hands4

    Alright just formatted it.

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